Sister Sarah is hanging it up

Sarah Vradenburg, a valued member of the Editorial Departrment staff, is hanging it up. She will be leaving along with many veteran staffers who are called volunteers. They were not laid off, but decided to leave--sometimes in the hope of saving a job of a friend.

Sarah is a veteran who has been a professional in many jobs at the BJ before moving to the ivory tower. She loved to write those little postcripts at the bottom of the editorial page about her neighborhood or the arts. In earlier days, we dubbed her "Sister Sarah" for no particular reason except everyone had to have a nickname.

We have all been shocked by the whacking of one-fourth of the BJ staff but posts about veterans like Sarah are starting to sound like a dirge. She will be sorely dismissed

Sarah writes:

I have told Mike Douglas and Ed Kemp that I plan to take voluntary retirement. My last day will be Oct. 18, unless someone asks me to leave sooner.

I do not have another job. I have some irons in the fire, some free-lance and other things so that I can work for myself and not have to worry about someone coming in and telling me I have to go away because someone I’ve never met doesn’t think someone is making enough money.

I am scheduled to go on the Ohio & Erie Canal Adventure — my third and the 10th anniversary trek — Sept. 18-23, and I told Mike I’d work with him through the election. I know Black and Moss say we’re overstaffed, but I know better. I think the 60-day period makes the last day somewhere around Oct. 21-22. Which, by then, they’re writing nothing but endorsements and there’s not a whole lot of work for folks like me.

I’ll keep you posted. I may even take my last piece of Beacon Journal real estate to say good bye in my own, inimitable style.

Thanks for your good thoughts. My regards to my former colleagues.

Sarah